Abstract: When the time period is night, processing advances to step S13 to set the initialization speed of a line feed motor to the first speed (v1), and to step S15 to execute initialization operation of the line feed motor at the first speed (v1). When the time period is morning or daytime, the processing advances to step S12 to detect a cover open/closed state. When the cover is open, the processing advances to step S13 to set the initialization speed of the line feed motor to the first speed (v1). When the cover is closed, the processing advances to step S14 to set the initialization speed of the line feed motor to the second speed (v2) which is higher than the first speed (v1). The processing advances to step S15 to execute initialization operation of the line feed motor at the second speed (v2).

Abstract: An ink jet printing system is provided which has an ink jet printing apparatus and a host and which alleviates a data processing load on the ink jet printing apparatus, prevents a reduction in a printing operation speed, and realizes a cost reduction. The ink jet printing apparatus of this invention has an ink receiving member for receiving waste ink ejected onto an overrunning area outside edges of a print medium and an accumulated value memory section for storing an accumulated value equivalent to waste ink volumes ejected onto the ink receiving member. The host includes a waste ink volume setting section for obtaining a value equivalent to a waste ink volume and a data sending section for sending data to the ink jet printing apparatus. The accumulated value memory section of the ink jet printing apparatus stores the accumulated value equivalent to waste ink volumes obtained by the host.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus that can detect a state causing a printing operation failure without adding a sensor and also enhance the ease of handling on the part of the user while keeping an apparatus cost from rising. For this purpose, in a serial type ink jet printing apparatus, a travel range in which the print head can be moved is detected and it is decided whether the detected travel range is a proper travel range. When, for example, the travel range is determined to be less than a preset range, it is decided that there is an obstacle in a path of the print head and a decision result is displayed. When the travel range is determined to be a certain range, it is decided that the ink tank is not properly mounted on the print head and the corresponding indication is made.

Abstract: A printing apparatus of the invention acquires a velocity and an acceleration of a printing medium when a rear end of the printing medium passes through a detection lever. A correction amount for the rear end of the printing medium is determined in accordance with the velocity and the acceleration of the printing medium. The correction amount is a transportation amount of the printing medium during a physical return time after the rear end of the printing medium passes through the detection lever until the detection lever is detected by a sensor. A remaining region from a printing position of a print head up to the rear end of the printing medium is controlled in accordance with the correction amount for the rear end of printing medium.

Abstract: This invention provides a low-cost printing apparatus and print control method capable of high-quality printing even in the use of a data buffer smaller in capacity than print data necessary for printing by one scanning of a printhead. According to this method, in printing using a small-capacity print buffer, print data is read out for each block of the print buffer divided into a plurality of blocks. Printing is done while the printhead is being scanned. As for printing using print data stored in the final block, printing is performed by one scanning of the printhead using print data stored in all blocks except the final block and print data obtained by sampling part of the print data stored in the final block. Further, printing is performed by the next scanning of the printhead using the remaining sampled data and print data newly stored in all the blocks except the final block.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide an ink jet printing apparatus that can detect a state causing a printing operation failure without adding a sensor and also enhance the ease of handling on the part of the user while keeping an apparatus cost from rising. For this purpose, in a serial type ink jet printing apparatus, a travel range in which the print head 303 can be moved is detected and it is decided whether the detected travel range is a proper travel range. When, for example, the travel range is determined to be, it is decided that there is an obstacle in a path of the print head and a decision result is displayed. When the travel range is determined to be, it is decided that the ink tank is not properly mounted on the print head and the corresponding indication is made.

Abstract: An ink jet printing system is provided which has an ink jet printing apparatus and a host and which alleviates a data processing load on the ink jet printing apparatus, prevents a reduction in a printing operation speed, and realizes a cost reduction. The ink jet printing apparatus of this invention has an ink receiving member for receiving waste ink ejected onto an overrunning area outside edges of a print medium and an accumulated value memory section for storing an accumulated value equivalent to waste ink volumes ejected onto the ink receiving member. The host includes a waste ink volume setting section for obtaining a value equivalent to a waste ink volume and a data sending section for sending data to the ink jet printing apparatus. The accumulated value memory section of the ink jet printing apparatus stores the accumulated value equivalent to waste ink volumes obtained by the host.

Abstract: A printing apparatus of the invention acquires a velocity and an acceleration of a printing medium when a rear end of the printing medium passes through a detection lever. A correction amount for the rear end of the printing medium is determined in accordance with the velocity and the acceleration of the printing medium. The correction amount is a transportation amount of the printing medium during a physical return time after the rear end of the printing medium passes through the detection lever until the detection lever is detected by a sensor. A remaining region from a printing position of a print head up to the rear end of the printing medium is controlled in accordance with the correction amount for the rear end of printing medium.

Abstract: When the time period is night, processing advances to step S13 to set the initialization speed of a line feed motor to the first speed (v1), and to step S15 to execute initialization operation of the line feed motor at the first speed (v1). When the time period is morning or daytime, the processing advances to step S12 to detect a cover open/closed state. When the cover is open, the processing advances to step S13 to set the initialization speed of the line feed motor to the first speed (v1). When the cover is closed, the processing advances to step S14 to set the initialization speed of the line feed motor to the second speed (v2) which is higher than the first speed (v1). The processing advances to step S15 to execute initialization operation of the line feed motor at the second speed (v2).

Abstract: This invention provides a low-cost printing apparatus and print control method capable of high-quality printing even in the use of a data buffer smaller in capacity than print data necessary for printing by one scanning of a printhead. According to this method, in printing using a small-capacity print buffer, print data is read out for each block of the print buffer divided into a plurality of blocks. Printing is done while the printhead is being scanned. As for printing using print data stored in the final block, printing is performed by one scanning of the printhead using print data stored in all blocks except the final block and print data obtained by sampling part of the print data stored in the final block. Further, printing is performed by the next scanning of the printhead using the remaining sampled data and print data newly stored in all the blocks except the final block.

Abstract: An image processor includes a video processing circuit which converts and processes a video signal. A first image processing circuit further processes the video signal processed by the video processing circuit, with emphasis on image gradation to generate image data matching the recording format of a recording apparatus. A second image processing circuit further processes the video signal processed by the video processing circuit, with emphasis on the sharpness of image contours to generate image data matching the recording format of the recording apparatus. A selecting circuit selects the first or second image processing circuit based on the type of video signal processed by the video processing circuit.

Abstract: A recording head system for an ink jet recording apparatus having a full-line recording head. The recording head is divided into a variable number of blocks. The recording ratio of each block (that is, the ratio of the number of ink ejecting elements to be driven in a block in accordance with recording data to the total number of the ink ejecting elements in the block) is compared with a reference recording ratio. When the recording ratio is greater than the reference recording ratio, the interval between the drive timing of a block and that of the next block is lengthened, or vise versa. This is performed by controlling the enable timing of each block by D-flip-flops, AND gates and delay circuits. Unevenness of recorded images resulting from the fluctuation in periodic ink pressure can be ameliorated.

Abstract: There are provided a color image forming method with liquids, capable of ensuring sharpness and high density in basically all the color images, and a recording apparatus therefor. This invention employs a black ink of relatively superior diffusibility and color inks of relatively superior penetrability, different in color from the black ink, and is characterized by forming the boundary area of a black image area with the color inks instead of the black ink.

Abstract: To record a multi-valued image by an ink-jet head, an ink droplet is jetted from a recording element (nozzle) for the number of times corresponding to the density of a pixel to be reproduced. Accordingly, the pixel data to determine the number of ink-jet operation is expressed by a plurality of bits and the data of each bit are transferred to a plurality of shift registers at a time. Each shift register has storage capacity based on bit data corresponding to the number of recording elements of a recording head. When data transfer is completed, a driving signal is supplied to the recording head. The driving signals are counted and each recording element is driven based on the count result and the data stored in each register.

Abstract: A printing apparatus capable of high-speed printing with low costs. Upon printing on a recording sheet based on print data inputted from an external device, print-buffer allocation is controlled in such manner that existence/absence of print data with respect to a printing area of a recording sheet is examined by a unit of print buffer capacity, and if there is no print data for a printing area, no print buffer is allocated to printing by a print head in the printing area. This control is managed by a print buffer management table in which an ID number of an allocated print buffer and information indicative of a state no print buffer is allocated are stored.

Abstract: To prevent an ink blurring on the recording medium, the ink jet recording apparatus for ejecting ink droplets onto the recording medium to record an image includes a plurality of recording heads, each having a plurality of ejecting ports and ejecting different inks; a data storage device for storing printing data and non-printing data for each of the recording heads; a boundary detector for detecting a boundary between the printing data and the non printing data of one of the recording heads in accordance with the printing data stored in the storage device; and a judging an adjusting device for judging whether printing data of other heads continues for more than a predetermined number of dots at the boundary detected by the boundary detector; and a thinning device for converting some of the printing data of the other heads to non printing data when the judging means determines that the printing data of the other heads continues for more than the predetermined number of dots.

Abstract: A recording apparatus includes a plurality of recording elements a plurality of drive ICs, in which a plurality of drive signal lines containing a signal line for an image data signal and a signal line for a transfer clock which transfers the image data signal are connected in cascade. Each drive IC supplies a recording current selectively to the recording elements in correspondence to the image data signal. A transfer clock control circuit, which is located at an input part of the transfer clock in the recording apparatus, controls a duty of the transfer clock supplied to the drive ICs so that a duty ratio of the transfer clock at the final stage of the plurality of drive ICs is enough to transfer the image data signal.